Basic Security Tips--part two

Last week we offered some security tips that included electronics, lighting, and vacationing. Today we’re going to talk more about locks and burglary prevention.

Poor security begets opportunities for burglars

Home burglars, for the most part, are `opportunists. They rely less on their ability to be clever, and more on our willingness to leave something open or unlocked, or have easily circumvented security. These are stupid people who are counting on us to be even more stupid than they are. It’s insulting.

Little kids play this game when they’re small. The basic theme is, “If my eyes are closed, no one can see me.”

When people have poor security, they're playing that same game the little kids play.

It's like they believe that if they deny risk, it doesn't exist. Except it does. And, right now, there is someone out there who would break into their house and rob them blind if it was possible.

So, today we are going to talk about ways to make the local burglars turn up empty-handed after visiting a house they want to rob.

Use door and window locks

If a homeowner is running to the store, or going over to the neighbor’s house, or even just sitting out by the pool in the backyard, is it essential to lock the front door?

The answer is an unqualified yes.

Burglars watch people and learn their habits very quickly. Going next door to visit a best friend? He’s got half hour, minimum. Down to the community box to get the mail? Five minutes tops. In the opportunistic mind of a burglar, if a homeowner leaves their door unlocked for any reason, they’ve just invited him to a free shopping spree inside their home.

The only caveat is that he finds the best of what they have to offer and get out before anyone catches him. Sounds exciting, right? Like a sort of twisted game show. At our expense.

Even locks by themselves aren’t enough. Families have to get into the habit of using the deadbolt and make it a rule to keep all doors locked all the time.

Lighten up

Just because we can’t see burglars, doesn’t mean they can’t--or won’t--see us and what is inside our homes. Former burglars tell us that leaving lights on inside the house isn’t much of a deterrent. It can even help show them what is inside. But, a well-lighted exterior will make him visible, so it’s important to think about lighting as layers of both ambiance and motion-activated lighting.

Set an alarm

Even if a homeowner only wants the essential components of a smart home alarm for $200, and monitors it themselves, this is still another layer of security to help ward off an intrusion. The truth is, a burglar does not want the homeowner, the neighbors, or anyone else to see him.

For a little more money and a low monthly fee, a homeowner can have a security company install and monitor an alarm system. Some people would prefer to have things of that nature handled by a professional. But it’s important to remember that the greatest alarm system in the world won’t help if it isn’t turned on

In consideration of security, we try to think of the three ‘L’s: locks, lights, a'larms. Yes, we know ‘alarms’ doesn’t start with an ‘L,’ but it’s helpful to remember a kind of inner chant whenever it’s time to leave the house. A homeowner can put themselves in a position of reliable protection when security becomes an algorithmic pattern of behavior.

And that’s pretty smart.

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